Cherokee Nation hands out grants to rural fire departments

The Cherokee Nation made a much needed donation to several county fire departments financially strapped from fighting wildfires.

The $250,000 donation will be shared with fire departments within the 14 county Cherokee Nation jurisdiction, based on their needs. Wildfires have burned more than 360,000 acres across the state since November.

Skiatook Fire Captain Jerry Magee says the Cherokee Nation's gift was overwhelming. "I feel honored for the department. We've been on fires where some structures have been lost, but nobody's perished. We've not lost any lives and that's the main thing.â€

Magee says some firefighters have bought basic equipment like gloves and rakes with money out of their own pockets to help fight fires.

Sponsored Content

Keep up-to-date with everything that happens in your world.

Sign-Up

We promise to never spam you. You can opt-out at any time. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for additional information.